The Alliance at the Africa Food Systems Forum 2026

With SNV and AGRA, this side event will discuss how African countries can unlock adaptation finance – including from development finance institutions and climate funds such as the GEF and GCF – and how partnerships can de-risk and scale climate-resilient agriculture.

Organized by the CGIAR Sustainable Farming Program, IRRI, IWMI, CIP, Cornell University and JIRCAS, this session showcases Incubating Innovation in Sustainable Farming, a key pillar of the CGIAR Sustainable Farming Program and home to its Competitive Innovation Fund. By applying private-sector portfolio management principles to public R&D, the fund supports high-risk, high-reward ideas that fall outside conventional investment pathways. Through live pitches, CGIAR scientists will present next-generation solutions including AI tools to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, pest early-warning systems, smart solar irrigation, climate finance technologies, AI-driven crop design and satellite-based fertilizer advisories. The session will connect innovators with donors, investors, governments and private-sector partners to explore co-funding, co-development and strategic collaboration.

New strategic partnership to advance food systems transformation priorities in Africa.

Organized by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and ASARECA, and aligned with the AU CAADP Strategy (2026–2035), this session will bring together top policymakers, researchers and practitioners to discuss the formulation and implementation of National Agroecology Strategies from across Africa. Participants will discover real-world policy innovations, explore actionable pathways for scaling resilient agriculture, and gain high-level policy insights to accelerate continental agrifood transformation.

A hands-on workshop with Busara and Athena AI on how behavioural science and artificial intelligence can improve the design, targeting and impact of food systems interventions across Africa.

This session explores how the FASA Fund is advancing Africa's agri-food systems through an innovative fund-of-funds model that combines catalytic capital, technical assistance, and a science-driven learning agenda. The discussion will demonstrate how FASA supports investment funds that finance agri-SMEs contributing to food security, resilient livelihoods, and climate-smart agriculture, while strengthening fund managers' capacity to integrate climate risk into investment decisions and operations. The session will also highlight FASA's learning agenda and introduce The Landscape of Agri-SME Funds in Africa, illustrating how evidence can strengthen investment decisions and attract additional capital into the sector.  

This plenary explores how African food systems can raise productivity while building resilience and competitiveness. It will examine the technologies, seed systems, soil-health practices and market incentives needed to drive sustainable production — connecting climate-smart agriculture with the trade and investment conditions that allow producers to compete in regional and global markets.

Organized with IRRI and AfricaRice, this session will spotlight the next generation of rice sector leaders – youth, jobs and inclusive enterprise across Africa’s rice value chains.

Organized by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, this session unpacks the 4P (public–private–producer partnership) model as a practical approach to de-risking and scaling investment along agri-value chains. Through concrete cases, it will show how aligning public institutions, private capital and producer organizations can unlock finance, strengthen market linkages and deliver inclusive returns for smallholder farmers.

Hosted by Heifer International in partnership with the Africa Food Systems Forum, this interactive session will convene young entrepreneurs, investors, technology leaders and ecosystem partners to explore how youth-led agricultural innovations can move from pilot to scale. It will examine the partnerships, financing and support systems needed to help youth-led agribusinesses grow and deliver practical solutions for smallholder farmers across Africa.

This plenary examines how shifting consumer demand and changing food environments are reshaping Africa’s food systems. It will present the latest evidence on diets, preferences and purchasing behaviour, and discuss how producers, retailers and policymakers can respond — making nutritious, diverse and locally produced foods more available, affordable and desirable across urban and rural markets.